Nepalese Social Worker Pushpa Basnet Honored Last Night at Neuehouse

Last night, New Yorkers escaped the rain by seeking refuge in the sleek, yet cozy confines of Neuehouse for an intimate screening of Waiting for Mamu. Directed by Thomas Morgan, the short documentary tells the story behind the Early Childhood Development Center and its founder, the Nepalese social worker Pushpa Basnet. “I was humbled by the opportunity to tell Pushpa’s story,” said Morgan, “there are very few mother-child relationships that rival that of Pushpa and her ‘kids.’ ” The “kids” are the children of the imprisoned parents who Basnet met firsthand as an undergraduate at St. Xavier College at Kathmandu University while studying social work. With limited, self-raised resources, Basnet created homes where she could raise these children as her own while simultaneously providing them with clothing, food, and schooling. “My responsibility is to fulfill their dreams—to fulfill their everything,” said Basnet. “Without education you can’t do anything.” Friend and designer Prabal Gurung also endorses Basnet’s notion of putting education first, noting, “For me, it’s empowerment and I’ve been a big advocate of women in power—it leads to a compassionate world.” The film chronicles the lives of several of Basnet’s kids, along with the increased attention she has garnered since receiving the CNN 2012 Hero of the Year award. It’s easy to understand why the young Basnet has such a broad fan-base. “I talked to her and she was candid,” says Gurung, “we immediately knew she was the one. We could stand by her.” The evening ended on an uplifting note as viewers saw plans for Butterfly House, a 35,000-square-foot campus where Basnet plans to house 80 children. Basnet spoke succinctly and humbly on her efforts saying, “My children are like butterflies—right now they are caterpillars.”